SLCLS Genre Study discussion

Do you like listening to mysteries more than reading them? I just finished listening to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The main character is an 11 year-old girl with a penchant for chemistry and poisons. The narrator did an excellent job and it made listening to the story more enjoyable that reading it.

Natalie wrote: "Do you like listening to mysteries more than reading them? I just finished listening to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. The main character is an 11 year-old girl with a penchant for chemi..."

I've listened to all of those books, and I agree that the narrator is terrific.
I am an audiobook fan, but I don't know that I prefer audiobooks to reading necessarily, it just depends on what I'm in the mood for.

I agree! I am not usually a fan of mysteries but listening to them is enjoyable. I love that series too. Right now I'm listening to the Agatha Christie Poirot novels. The reader is the actor who played Poirot in the PBS series. The different voices are fab and the mystery itself is entertaining. I recommend them!

I particularly enjoyed listening to David Timson's readings of some of the Sherlock Holmes stories.

yay! will check it out tim.

I have had a hard time listening rather than reading to mysteries (or books at all for that matter). I feel like I have to pay attention to what I am listening to, so I can't multitask...and if that is the case I would rather read. Is it just me or have others had this trouble, too?

Daniel wrote: "I have had a hard time listening rather than reading to mysteries (or books at all for that matter). I feel like I have to pay attention to what I am listening to, so I can't multitask...and if tha..."

That's why I usually don't listen to non-fiction, unless it's in the car. I feel like I can miss a little in fiction if my attention wanders and still come back and know what's going on. I'm pretty good at multitasking, though, so it's usually not a problem.

I think audio really adds something to the story, if it's a good narrator, but it also takes something away from your ability to savor the language. So it depends on the type of book for me, whether it works or not. There are several narrators that I like so much that I always wait for the audio, like Ladies No. 1 Detective Agency or the Flavia DeLuce series.

Daniel wrote: "I have had a hard time listening rather than reading to mysteries (or books at all for that matter). I feel like I have to pay attention to what I am listening to, so I can't multitask...and if tha..."

Hmm. The only time I get to listen to audio books is while I'm sewing, so I have to multitask if I want to listen. I did have to give up listening in my car because I wasn't paying enough attention to my driving!

Audiobooks are hard for me--I used to have a lot of people who wanted RA for audiobooks, and I got pretty good at suggesting titles. However, I very rarely listen to them myself, and usually find myself frustrated when I do. They don't move fast enough for me, or I will find myself not paying attention to what I'm doing or not paying attention to the book.

Jennifer wrote: "I think audio really adds something to the story, if it's a good narrator, but it also takes something away from your ability to savor the language. So it depends on the type of book for me, wheth..."

I find that I pay attention to the language more while I'm listening to books. There is something so wonderful about having a good narrator read well-written prose. I'm a complete multitaster when I listen. Audiobooks are my only motivation to clean my house.

I thought buying an mp3 player and downloading audiobooks onto it would motivate me to go to the gym. Got the player. Got the audiobook on the player. Must go to gym...must go to gym....Hah!

I just finished listening to the Reader's Choice book "Bedlam Detective." I see that Suzanne is a fan of British mysteries, so if you haven't read this one, it's a good one!

I agree with Jennifer, it depends on the book whether it is one I can listen to. I also love No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency on audio, I couldn't get into the print story at all but with the wonderful accents Ms. LeCat uses in the narration, I feel like I am in Botswana. I also enjoy the J.D. Robb In Death series, the characters have grown on me a lot and I enjoy their sense of humor.

So I guess it is hit or miss on which ones to listen to but I need them so I can get my chores done and I get an extra 15 books in a year with them :)

Karen, it is funny that you say you love the In Death books in audio. I am a big fan of that series, and once tried to listen to the audio, but I just couldn't stand the accents the narrator used. The Irish accent was very distracting for me--but I know other folks love them. I always thought of this in audiobook RA--helping folks figure out what narrators work for the patron.

Sarah wrote: "Karen, it is funny that you say you love the In Death books in audio. I am a big fan of that series, and once tried to listen to the audio, but I just couldn't stand the accents the narrator used. ..."

There have been two narrators and I liked the first one but then Susan Ericksen came along and I grew to like her. Guess it is just personal taste but I really enjoy hearing Roarke's Irish accent since it plays into the storyline often.

There are a few mystery series that I prefer to listen to on audio because I enjoy the narrators and it adds that extra personal element to the characters. I really enjoyed listening to the audio for Lilian Jackson Braun's Cat Who series, Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy Bear series, and the one I am currently listening to, The 11th Hour by James Patterson (Women's Murder Club).

It totally depends on the narrator for me. And that applies to all books, not just mysteries.

Danette wrote: "It totally depends on the narrator for me. And that applies to all books, not just mysteries."

I agree. I once tried to listen to one of the Georgia Nicolson (Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging) books on audio. The author read the book without any sort of enthusiasm and it was awful. Not to mention that the books are journals written by a teen girl and the author narrated it as an adult.

I have a really hard time just listening to anything. My mind wanders and I miss most of it. I have an easier to focusing if my eyes are involved...

Danette wrote: "It totally depends on the narrator for me. And that applies to all books, not just mysteries."

I agree, too. I listened to the first 6 Stephanie Plum books, narrated by CJ Critt--loved them all! Then they changed narrators, and I couldn't stick with listening because I couldn't get CJ's wonderful narration out of my head. Now I just read the Stephanie Plum books.

Sometimes I find my mind wanders a bit, too, but if I can dedicate a good chunk of time to listening, it works best for me (treadmill, drive time, etc.)

I just read a cozy mystery called Pick Your Poison by Leann Sweeney. There was a little bit of chick lit in it to and I think the reader did a good job of bringing out the girly side of the main character. It's amazing how a reader can make or break a book.

Reading "Return to Marshall's Bayou" from Recorded Books/One Click. It is a pretty good mystery, and the audio has lots of sound effects. However, the main character, Dasas, has a French Louisiana accent, but the reader for his brother, has standard american accent. Hmmm.

I like to read the Monica Ferris Needlecraft mysteries, but not listen to them. They remind me of the audio if English is your second language. No emotion, and everything is precisely pronounced.

Right now I'm listening to Pumpkin Roll by Josi Kilpack. A little late for the season and the ghostly, witchy flavor but it has been fun so far. The drives to and from work have been more pleasant when listening to a book on CD.

e-audio or disk? Or both? Which do you like best? I've always listened to disks but recently got an mp3 player. I now have a love/hate relationship with my mp3 player...why? Because I don't have to change disks, I have no idea how long I've been listening. With a disk, they average about 75 minutes. An mp3 file plays on and on. The other day, I thought I'd listened for 45 minutes. I had no idea I was so involved in the story and I was shocked to find that two and a half hours had passed by and I only stopped listening because the battery in my player died. Yikes!

I love my mp3 player and the e-audio books! Especially for walking. Twelve Drummers Drumming is a great listen.

I like using my mp3 player or phone to listed to books, but it always seems like such a hassle to find something to check out and get it loaded onto my device. Usually I end up just grabbing a BCD while I'm at work. It would probably be a different story if I wasn't at the library all day. But then, I don't know how I would function if I didn't have constant access to all these materials! We really are lucky, aren't we?!

I loved cassettes, and now I love MP3/WMA titles. CDs get scratched so easy--and then you resort to tapping the cd player to try and dislodge the laser and get it to move on.

Jewel wrote: "I loved cassettes, and now I love MP3/WMA titles. CDs get scratched so easy--and then you resort to tapping the cd player to try and dislodge the laser and get it to move on."

That is true-I hate it when you get to the most exciting part on a disk and it starts to skip or bounce and then you notice the big 'ol scratch...

I always listen to audiobooks on my mp3 player, but I actually prefer to check out CDs and transfer them because the sound quality is better. I use Exact Audio Copy which is very good at error correction during ripping, and gives a report about any errors that occurred so I know if I need to get another copy of a particular disc before I even start listening to the book.

I am a big audiobook fan. Long drives seem so much shorter with a good book. Traffic jams only allow more time for your story. Those boring jobs like laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc. are much easier thanks to the book you are listening to.

Robyn wrote: "I am a big audiobook fan. Long drives seem so much shorter with a good book. Traffic jams only allow more time for your story. Those boring jobs like laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc. are much easier..."

I agree-on long car trips I like a bit of Hank the Cowdog. Everyone loves Hank. Especially when he sings.

I loved Jenny Sterlin for the narrator of Laurie R. Kings series Mary Russell. She has a basic English accent, and the range--she drops her voice down until you KNOW you are listening to a man. Then back up and its a woman. That was the first time I was amazed at how good an audio book could be!

Robyn wrote: "I am a big audiobook fan. Long drives seem so much shorter with a good book. Traffic jams only allow more time for your story. Those boring jobs like laundry, dishes, cleaning, etc. are much easier..."

I agree!

Jewel wrote: "I loved Jenny Sterlin for the narrator of Laurie R. Kings series Mary Russell. She has a basic English accent, and the range--she drops her voice down until you KNOW you are listening to a man. T..."

Merry was just telling me how great these recordings are too. I forgot I was going to grab the sequel to The Beekeeper's Apprentice, which I just read. It was a lot of fun. Thanks for the reminder!

I love Dick Hill so much (the narrator of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series) that I would go to an autograph signing for him before Lee Child!

Heather wrote: "I love Dick Hill so much (the narrator of Lee Child's Jack Reacher series) that I would go to an autograph signing for him before Lee Child!"

I think Dick Hill is really great, too. I was listening to a Lee Child book a couple years ago. One of the scenes is when Jack Reacher is crawling through a tunnel, I think. I'm a bit claustrophobic, so when I was listening to this, I could really feel what he was reading. Kind of weird, I know.

I personally am a fan of audio books. I listen to them on the treadmill or as I drive to work. I find it helps me "get through" more books and makes my drive/walk more enjoyable. I do think the narrator plays a large role in how engaged I am in the book. In short, I still enjoy having a book read to me.

Timothy wrote: "I always listen to audiobooks on my mp3 player, but I actually prefer to check out CDs and transfer them because the sound quality is better. I use Exact Audio Copy which is very good at error corr..."

Thanks for the advice! It is good to know that there is something that can help with all of those scratched discs, which is part of the reason I haven't listened to an audiobook for the past year or so. However, based on everyone else's posts it sounds like I am missing some good ones.

I have a harder time listening to mysteries when they are BCD. I pay attention to the characters more when I read a book rather than listen to it. Lol

I've discovered that I can listen to something light and multitask but I can't listen to something heavy or needs concentration so I choose my audiobooks accordingly.

Anytime I travel by car, I have to have something to listen to, or the trip seems a lot longer. But if I get to where I am going before I am finished listening I sometimes will sit in the car and listen until I come to the end or at least to a good stopping place. I once ran my car battery dead listening to a No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency BCD. Luckily, I was in my garage!

I had to give up listening to audiobooks while driving...I get too involved in the story and don't pay attention to my driving. I can only listen when someone else is driving...

Kevin wrote: "Anytime I travel by car, I have to have something to listen to, or the trip seems a lot longer. But if I get to where I am going before I am finished listening I sometimes will sit in the car and ..."

I've done that too. One time my next door neighbor came over to see if I was okay because I was just sitting in the driveway for such a long time.

Stephanie wrote: "Kevin wrote: "Anytime I travel by car, I have to have something to listen to, or the trip seems a lot longer. But if I get to where I am going before I am finished listening I sometimes will sit i..."

I know- I always feel awkward when I am sitting in my car in my carport, listening to that last little bit. I'm always hoping the neighbors don't notice me and wonder what in the world I'm doing!